CPJ denounces Iranian threats against Maziar Bahari

New York, April 19, 2010—The
Committee to Protect Journalists today condemned threats made by the Iranian
government against Newsweek correspondent Maziar Bahari. Bahari, left, who was
imprisoned in Iran for 118 days on fabricated antistate charges following last
year’s disputed June presidential election, told CPJ that family members in
Iran had received a threatening phone call on Saturday from a man who
identified himself as an Iranian court official.

The caller threatened unspecified consequences if Bahari
continued to speak out on behalf of his imprisoned colleagues. Bahari, who also
serves as a consultant to a campaign
calling for the release of imprisoned Iranian journalists and writers, has made
numerous statements and appearances advocating for the many Iranian journalists
who remain imprisoned and continue to face baseless criminal charges.

“Tell Maziar that he shouldn't think we don't have access to
him because he is not in Iran,” said the male caller, who did not identify
himself by name. “The situation is getting dangerous now. Anything can
happen without advance notice.”

Bahari told CPJ that this is the first time such threats
have been expressed to family members. He said that he had previously been
contacted through intermediaries in an effort to convince him to keep quiet. He
also stated that during his incarceration, he was told that the Revolutionary
Guard has “foreign branches that can bring you back in a bag.”

Bahari added that these threats “just show that the regime
is insecure and doesn’t want a mirror held up to its face. These tactics are
not only futile, but ultimately counterproductive. The regime has to reverse
course and have a dialogue with its critics.”